Birds of a feather
by sakebottle
Summary: The Hyuga clan liked to destroy things. Hyuga Hinabi knew that better than anyone.


**Birds of a feather**

_by Sakebottle_

_Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, nope honestly officer_

Hyuga Hinabi didn't smile. Not often. It was hard being the younger sister of the Hyuga heir. Especially when said older sister was practically useless. Hinabi had accepted long ago that she would have to step up and take her sister's place.

Still she envied Hinata's freedom. No one cared what Hinata did. If she laughed or if she lazed around. Hinabi had all the eyes of the clan fixed on her and could not breath without them knowing. Really Hinata had it good.

Hinabi would have graduated the academy and five if her father had had his way. As it happened, someone was looking out for her. Iruka-sensei was always giving her warm smiles and encouraging her to do well and make friends with others in the class.

Hinabi didn't want to make friends though. She wanted to be a good ninja. She wanted to so well because if she didn't Hinata would have to and Hinabi knew her sister couldn't live up to their clan's harsh standards.

Even so she liked to watch Konohamaru and the mischief he caused. He was very entertaining to watch. She wished she could be as carefree as the third's grandson and his two followers. Maybe she would have liked to play pranks like they did. Only unlike Konohamaru she would never get caught.

Iruka-sensei graduated her a eleven. He smiled sadly and told her that he couldn't fend her clan off any longer and he was sorry. Hinabi didn't mind. Well not much. She was given a team and a new sensei and vowed to work harder.

The Hyuga clan liked to destroy things. Hinabi realised that when she took her first life. She watched the man's empty face for along time before her sensei and team-mates took her home.

Her father had been proud but Hinabi had seen the grief in Hinata's eyes and the stony look that cousin Neji sent father's way. Hinabi knew that killing was nothing to be proud of.

She was thirteen when she became chunin. Her fist mission ended in disaster. She hadn't been leading but she was one of two survivors out of five. She had failed. Her perfect defence had only protected herself and one other. Hinabi took those deaths seriously and worked harder than ever.

Hinata always looked sad when their paths crossed. Hinabi's elder sister didn't even live on the Hyuga compound any more. It was like her fate was set in stone.

At seventeen she was promoted to jounin and a year later she joined ANBU.

It was when she was curled under the spray in her private quarters at the Hyuga compound watching the ribbons of red swirl away she realised how much the Hyuga pushed and pushed until you couldn't give any more.

It was Neji that found her and gently pulled her from the shower and bundled her up in a fluffy white towel and tucked her into bed with a hot chocolate. Hinabi had been surprised. Why had he helped her?

Neji gave her a small smile, "You know you and I are the same."

Hinabi frowned, "How?" she demanded.

Neji smirked, "We both thought our destinies were written in stone. We were wrong. As someone told me along time ago, _"When captured birds grow wiser, they try to open the cage with their beaks. They don't give up, because they want to fly again."_ I leant to adapt, so should you."

Hinabi blinked. To fly again? Had she ever flown in the first place?

Neji stood up, "Take care of yourself cousin."

"Wait!" Hinabu called.

Neji glanced over his shoulder, "Yes?"

"Your left shoulder," Hinabi said slowly, "Show me."

Neji smiled softly then and calmly lifted his sleeve. On his left bicep was an identical red swirl to the one on her right.

Hinabi nodded, "Thank you."

She supposed that was the day she stopped obeying and started living. She moved into ANBU HQ much to her fathers outrage. When she met with her sister she smiled and talked about things other than family and duty.

Two weeks later she bumped into Konohamaru at the market and accepted his invitation to go out to lunch with him.

Neji was right. Smart birds used their beaks and learnt to fly.

* * *

_Author's Notes: I was just pondering about Hinabi and this fic came out of those musings. Hope you like it_

_Sakebottle_


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